D-Rank
by NeverMineToHold
Summary: There is one D-rank mission all the genin would love to skip, but Naruto has more serious things to worry about than scratches... KakaNaru


Title: "D-Rank"

Status: OneShot

Fandom: Naruto

Characters/Pairing: Naruto Uzumaki/Kakashi Hatake, Next Generation!Team 7

Disclaimer: Copyright Masashi Kishimoto; no copyright infringement intended.

Rating: T

Genre: friendship, H/C

Warnings: unbeta'ed, mild language

Summary: There is one D-rank mission all the genin would love to skip, but Naruto has more serious things to worry about than scratches...

Note: Based on the theme prompt "central power."

D-Rank

Naruto grinned as another shout came from the earpiece he had had the foresight to toss into his lap before the start of the mission. If he hadn't, his ears would be ringing by now.

"Damn it!"

He could hear a body move at top speed through the underbrush; leaves rustled, twigs broke and finally caught on fabric. There was a short moment of static before Yuki's patience snapped and he used a kunai to cut himself free.

What Naruto couldn't hear, he easily saw from his perch. He sat comfortably and hidden from sight in the crown of a tall oak. It was a sunny day in Konoha, yet there was an ominous shadow fleeing from his team that headed straight for training ground four.

"It's too quick!" A higher voice complained.

Naruto spotted Hikari as she swerved around a tree; closing in on the target from the left. Her face was so red from exertion that her clan's markings had faded to nothing. Toboe, her gray puppy, was hot on her heels. It was hard to believe that this little ball of fluff might one day outgrow Akamaru.

"Shut up you two!"

And there was the last of his students, Itachi Uchiha. Tsunade baa-chan had cackled with glee as she saddled him with Sasuke's offspring. Well, at least Naruto knew where the boy had gotten his charming personality from.

"Yo."

Naruto glanced down to where Kakashi had appeared in a puff of smoke and felt his eyes narrow. There was no overlooking the way the jounin favored his left leg, or the fine tremor running through his hands.

Naruto had known that the S-rank to Otogakure would go south, but a ninja went where he was told.

"You should be in hospital."

"I'm glad to see you, too," Kakashi returned mildly, yet his smile did not quite reach his eye.

Thanks to Kurama's keen senses, Naruto could smell the sharp tang of sake clinging to Kakashi that mixed with the salt on his skin and blood drying on his bandages. He must have come straight from the memorial after delivering the dog tags of his fallen comrades to Tsunade.

He jumped and Naruto had to grab his flak jacket and pull him close, or Kakashi would have fallen and injured himself further. He grumbled a bit, face buried into Naruto's shoulder, then simply settled with a sigh.

Naruto kissed his temple, not bothered that he ended up with a mouthful of sweaty silver strands. He used his teeth to gently tug at them. "Okaeri."

Kakashi smiled and shifted closer, hand already raised to pull down his mask. However, he froze before their lips touched and twisted to fish out a mangled earpiece. Naruto snorted as Kakashi offered it to him with a sheepish grin.

"Tadaima."

"Damn it!" "Damn it!"

"Wow, in stereo. I see your students accomplished some serious teamwork."

Naruto threw Kakashi a withering glare and snatched his equipment from him. "Oi, Itachi, Hikari! Watch your language."

"But sensei -"

"GAAaaahhh!"

Both jounin glanced over to training ground four just in time to see Yuki landing on Tora, only for the cat to twist in his arms and using his face as a scratching post. In a matter of seconds red lines criss-crossed his cheeks, while Toboe howled in triumph as he and Hikari crashed into the clearing.

"Better go and save your student," Kakashi muttered. "We can talk later."

Naruto wriggled out from underneath him. "I promised I would treat them to ramen if they managed to crack Team 5's record."

"Then do," Kakashi said and pulled him back down for a quick kiss. He licked Naruto's lips before breaking away, and Naruto knew from experience that Kakashi was after comfort, not sex. "I'll wait up for you."

Naruto didn't like having to leave the older man alone, but his genin had priority. "I'll see you then."

He concentrated to pinpoint the seal on Yuki's kunai, then activated it with a burst of chakra. Using hiraishin, Naruto stepped out of thin air right beside his flailing student. He bent down and carefully removed Tora before his claws could sink any deeper into the genin's flesh.

"Here," Naruto said and offered the hissing cat to Itachi, who took it securely by the scruff. "Not too shabby for your first hunt. I'm impressed, kids."

"Thanks!" Yuki said, and plopped down into the grass; panting even worse than Toboe. "You're a lifesaver, Naruto-sensei!"

"Can we go and eat ramen now?" Hikari asked. She picked up Toboe who licked her face and jumped out of her loose grip, to settle with a might yawn on her head. "We're hungry."

"Sure, right after reporting our success."

Itachi scoffed. "_You_ didn't do anything."

"Hey! Don't talk to sensei like that!"

Naruto grinned, watching them argue until Hikari had enough and knocked some sense into them. Ah, the nostalgia! His Team 7. His to teach, his to protect and his to corrupt, if only to drive Sasuke, Kiba and Sakura up the walls. Fun times, except for Kakashi being a fool and returning to ANBU...

With a last glance over his shoulder to a certain oak, Naruto herded his students towards the Hokage tower.

"Let's go!"

The End

R&R

AN: I hear "central power" and the best thing I can come up with is Tora, the cat? The Land of Fire VIP cat? And where has all the humor gone? _" Sorry, guys!


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